A Brief Note on Spread Diamonds
Most people want their diamonds to be as big as possible. They desire to get the biggest diamond for the money they are spending. It is a known fact that the price of a diamond increases with its size. Even though people want their diamonds to have a bigger appearance, they do not want to spend a good fortune for additional carats if they could avoid it. Hence, people look for big diamonds that are inexpensive. That is why jewelers developed spread diamonds that satisfy both the needs of people.
What are spread diamonds?
Spread diamonds are stones that are cut in a special way to give a bigger appearance than their standard-cut counterparts with the same carat weight. As a result of this, the diamond will look larger than they actually are. This can be achieved by cutting the stone in a shallow cut.
Shallow-cut stone lacks depth, unlike a standard-cut stone that has measurements to maximize the brilliance and sparkle. But these stones will have a wider look when you look from above. The bigger appearance is gained by the additional width that resulted from reducing the depth.
Why should you buy spread diamonds?
Spread diamonds are a great option for those who want their diamonds to appear bigger. They can achieve this without spending extra money for additional carat weights.
Another advantage is that the price of spread diamonds is low when compared to stones that are cut in standard round-cut. As these diamonds are considered shallow, their measurements will vary from the ideal cut that is designed to create maximum brilliance in a stone. The more the stone deviates from the standard measurements, the lower will be its price.
It may seem surreal to hear that the price drops when the diamonds look bigger. But this is true. The price difference is a result of the reduction in quality when a diamond is shallow cut. The shallower the cut, the less will be its quality.
Defect of a spread diamond
The most prominent issue associated with spread diamonds is that they will have less sparkle when compared to ideal-cut diamonds. As the cut of a spread diamond is shallow, most of the light entering the stone will be lost rather than being reflected or refracted. Hence, the sparkle and brilliance of such stones will be less when compared to the stones with standard-cut.
Even though you may find some spread diamonds that show good sparkle, it will be still less than an ideal cut stone of the same carat. As the cut becomesmore shallower, the more light the stone will be losing and the less will be its brilliance. Hence, the quality of spread diamonds will be low and they will be also cheaper.
Another problem associated with spread diamonds is the effect called “Fish eyes”. Since these stones are shallow and narrow, the light passing through the diamond gives it a dark center that surrounds the pavilion. This dark circle looks like a fish eye and hence got the name.
Spread stones are also more fragile than ideal cut stones. As the stone is shallow and thin, they tend to be vulnerable to damages, especially when it comes to the outer edge called girdle. This outer edge can break or chip easily because the pavilion facets and crown facets that are situated at the top of the diamond meet at a sharper angle. Not only the edges, but the entire diamond is prone to breaking as it is so thin.
Therefore, these diamonds are not suitable for those who work with their hands, because even a small stress can break the stone. The jewelers also have to take great care when they mount spread diamond because of its fragile nature. It is better to mount a spread diamond in abezel setting or tension setting as it will give more protection for the stone.
How to distinguish spread diamond
The best way to check whether a diamond is spread or not is by checking its certificate. If the cut grade in the certificate is marked as Fair or Poor cut, then there is a high possibility for the diamond to be spread.
Excellent and Very Good cuts are most desired in diamonds as they are the standard cuts. However, if you are specifically looking for spread diamonds you can look for diamonds with lower cut grades.
Are spread diamonds worth buying?
Spread diamonds boast a larger appearance than they really are. They will help you to get a bigger diamond at lower carat weights. They are also cheap than ideal cut diamonds, which makes spread diamonds appealing to many people.
However, they lack brilliance and sparkle and are also vulnerable to damage. The lack of shine makes spread diamonds lifeless. After all, what’s the point of having a diamond if it does not glow? Therefore, before buying a spread diamond think about whether they are worth spending your money.